Letters
by Jumi of Citrine
Summary: The sucky summary is inside. I am so sorry I haven't been updating. School started and my computer activity went kaput. I 'pologize, I'm plotting a chappie now. Oct 25
1. The Messenger

_**Letters**_

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A mind consuming chaos has enveloped a pair of young heroes. A chaos that, if not defeated, could mean the apocalypse of Fa'Deil as we know it. And to think that chaos began with a letter...

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If anyone ever dares to partake in the endeavor that is character concept theft, let it be known that, if caught, I will severely punish thee. The characters Reia, Ryo, Lan, Sirea and Seadran are mine. Seadran especially, since I have been using him as a roleplaying character for three years now. (In truth, Ryo is a concept of a friend...)

_The Legend of Mana copyright Square Enix, formerly Squaresoft. Any mention therein within this work of fiction is also done so under respect of the Copyright Laws. No one will, in any way, make a profit from this fictional work. It is done purely for leisure, and at the pace and level of its Authoress._

_As a note, I started this fic before I'd played Final Fantasy X, so any mentions of the Ronso are also credited to Square Enix. To me, the idea was original...ah, but Reia, Ryo and Lan are still mine! Besides...they aren't just Ronso now are they? _

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Sunlight streamed through the window of a house. This house stood a few hundred yards away from a small village called Domina. However, though the house might be normal, the people who resided within it certainly were not. O, no, they were respected by all races.

Yes, and this spiral of dazzling, warm brilliance chose to, at that moment, play across the seeping face of a youthful man. In sleep, the man appeared like a fallen angel, features seemingly contoured to fit his personality. A moderate mass of golden curls, like a crown upon his head, allowed a few stray stands brush across his forehead with the sensation that a butterfly would have caused by landing on the man's face. In wakefulness, the man would conceal this feature of him beneath a favored hood of his. His complexion was rugged and sun-darkened. The light eventually trailed up to play across his neck and shoulder. There, a horrendous scar trailed from beneath his jaw line to his upper arm. A scar he earned honorably, from a dishonorable opponent.

The man eventually stumbled from his restfulness to a sthate of partial consciousness. One eye opened blearily and shone a brilliant, sapphire azure. "Morning already?" He asked to no one, it seemed. In fact, he spoke to a plant. And, not just any plant. After a moment, he glanced down at the corner, where a cactus was growing inside of a pot. When appraised from this angle, it appeared a mere cactus, oddly shaped with two thick pads branching off from a central bulb. There was a large coral-hued flower atop the plant, not quite fully opened.

The cactus appeared as if it didn't intend to answer, but eventually, it nodded thoughtfully. Turning around in the pot, one could see why it was peculiar. It had eyes, large and liquid and brown, and a large and slightly turned down mouth. Despite this, a happy look was on its face. It was always happy near its master.

The man padded barefoot down a flight of stairs to the ground level of his home. There he was greeted by a pair of children. Well, they were really tiny elves, not fully mature. They adored him as their master, also, but he was more of a mentor and teacher. He was glad to do so, since he knew the other person they would look to would set an improper example for them.

And, as if thinking of the woman in question could summon her, the door to the study opened and closed, admitting a slender woman. She was not soft, as her adult companion appeared, but instead hard, her face consisting of angular lines and planes. Cold green eyes watched the man as he set about preparing himself a meal. She herself had the same golden hair, though hers had a more antique quality to it, and was much darker. Hung from the woman's hair were several stick of hand carved and decorated ivory.

Where the man wore only a long shirt, the woman was dressed for the day. Aside from her hair adornments, she wore a rather peculiar tunic. A crimson cloth was draped about her shoulders and breasts, and served as a sort of shirt. To say the least, it covered only what was needed so that it would not hinder movement. From there on, it was a dark violet color. It might have once been the lover half of a tunic, but now it was split in both front and back and tastefully shaped like the arms of a star. A gold trim defined the outer edges. She also wore exotic leg and foot articles. The outer part of her clog was composed of skillfully dyed rawhide, colored a strange teal that complimented the upper half of the odd tunic. As it climbed to just short of her knee, it was decorated with a thick lining of hide, the fur left on and dyed a similar color, albeit more green that teal. Fluttering behind her, tucked into the top of the boots, were two fringed cloths. They had edges done in orange, but otherwise the background was the same color of the skirt. There were two columns of overlapping triangles done in a golden weave as decoration.

Altogether, her mere appearance was frightening, with her full lips seemingly placed in an eternal frown, and her fist usually clenched around the haft of her favored weapon. To protect her hands from blistering due to continuous chaffing on the wooden pole, she wore fingerless gloves of a crimson material that went to her elbow and tied with a plain brown chord. The weapon that posed this threat was, in fact, a halberd. And, leaned across the railing to the stairs, appeared rather malicious as the light played across the wickedly sharpened crescent of cold steel that gave way to a skillfully made, albeit unembellished, spearhead. All-in-all, the woman was deadly with that blade, a viper ready to strike.

And, with a viper's eyes, she watched the man as he went about the simple task of preparing the morning meal.

They were, in fact, non-identical twins. Neither had known their parents, but instead had relied upon one another all of their lives for survival. Well, until late, anyway. The man's name was Danatoth, and the woman was Kieru. Those were the names they could recall their aunt calling them when they were five. The woman who had raised them in place of their real parents had long since passed away from old age, leaving the two to fend for themselves.

"I do not see it brother," She said at last, settling herself on a lavishly carved couch. The padding was new, but not so new as to retain all of its fluff. It was at a level of firmness that the woman found most suitable for herself. "Why you can cook better than I, tend Bud and Lisa with greater effect. You might have helped some lovesick centaur, a lucrative merchant who looks like an obese rabbit, and perhaps even a few of the pirate penguins, but I have not only quelled the great crimson dragon, Draconis, but has saved a race, and killed a half-blooded demon." She looked resignedly at the large skillet of cockatrice eggs which smelled wonderful, accented with some finely chopped gray ox meat.

"And, sister, I do not understand your way with monsters, the forges, our golem workshop, the art of instrument creation..." He trailed off, scratching his head. They balanced out in the long run; one could not top the other in everything.

They were two of the most famous people in the world. Danatoth was known better than his sister, who preferred to call herself mercenary. Danatoth had defeated a goddess, the very creator of this world, and sealed her within the great Mana Sanctuary. He had also helped many friends along the way, but not near so many as Kieru. Kieru herself had revived the failing race of the Jumi, quested with two dragoon knights in order to seal and maintain the crimson dragon within the underworld, and traveled with a knight named Escad in order to defeat an evil demon. And gotten herself totally drunk numerous times along the way; now, bars everywhere waited for the visit of the Mana Heroine, for she held more spirits than the hulking Miner, Roger.

For a time afterwards, while they ate, the house was silent, punctuated only by the clatter of forks and knives as they tore through the meal. It was as wonderful as it had smelled, but the appetite of the female, lessened by many hours of traipsing through places unexplored without eating or even stopping, and she ate very little. As a matter of fact, she looked restless, and beneath the table, her feet were continuously shuffling. She wanted to go out. For how long, Danatoth could not know; a day, a week, perhaps even a month; she never stayed for more than a month in that little house. Despite this, she maintained a steely calm façade until after the meal.

At last, she decided to voice what was on her mind. "I am going to go visit Elazul and Pearl. Rubens, Flourina, Diana, and Esmeralda, for that matter. I haven't seen them in months." After a moment, the hinting of a wry smile danced across her lips, but lingered in her emerald eyes. "Besides, I promised Esmeralda I'd teach her the staff. Three months ago." The last she finished by holding back a snort of laughter. And, as if that settled the matter (which in fact, it did, being that she wouldn't've listened to her brother anyway) she stalked into the study. That was where she slept when she stayed there, and this little period had been no exception.

Soon enough, she had stalked out of the door, halberd gripped in one hand, provisions for a few days slung in a bag across her back. She was never gone for a definite amount of time; here it was a day, there, two weeks, and past the horizon it was possibly a few months. When she had quested with Larc and Sierra, and any of the numerous events that she went to the underworld, she lost track of time; the dead did not feel the need to eat.

In truth, the fact that Larc had allowed his sister to declare herself dead by being baptized in the flames, and spend time in the underworld was something he all-but-abhorred them for. In a bond so close that they were to a degree, empathic, it had hurt him deeply to suddenly feel the shock of emptiness. It had been some time before he had suddenly felt her sensations of numerous things, such as her sprained ankle and numerous gashes from the four dragons. She also has covered in burns to such an extent that, not only as soon as she got inside, disregarding all previous array, she had limped up to Danatoth's bedroom and fallen asleep in his bed, but it was also a wonder that her blood-matted hair and eyes were not damaged. And he hadn't had the heart to extract her.

He himself had planned to loaf about all day, but perhaps he should go work in the forges. He hadn't in a while, but wanted to make a new bow for hunting. This late in the year, foodstuffs were becoming hard to find, and his sister simply would not sacrifice her wealth of hard-earned lucre for their welfare until it became too cold to hunt for themselves. So, padding up to actually attire himself more suitably in case of un-expected guests, who came often to visit them, he began the trudge out side.

It was the kind of morning that was clearly and foretelling of rain; the sun, a paled spot on dark clouds that lgave suitably lucid warning to anyone who wasn't blind, gave no hint of warmth, and it felt a good sixty degrees, if not cooler. However, in his actual clothing, the only part of Danatoth that was cold was his toned lower abdomen, and the small of his back. His attire started atop his head, as his sister's did, though his stood out with a touch more...fervor...

A tattered, albeit it brightly colored, scarlet hood, held with jade clasps that gripped into his unruly, almost matted cap of pale curls, covered most of that aspect of his person and held it away from opponents in battle. The hood was plumed, even, with white Garuda feathers. He had tried not to accept them, but the woman who had given him the gifts had been very...persuasive, and eventually, he had given in. He wore a bronze breast-plate. Decorated with a pattern that, when translated into the old tongue as a word, had a connotation with a similar phrase which meant 'he who fights with a white heart'. Covering otherwise bared shoulders was a very short vest, though it had proved useful many times; lined thrice with Lorimar Iron mail, it deflected daggers and arrows effectively. He wore also an odd array of plates to guard his legs. Fashioned from both Menos Bronze and Lorimar Iron, it was an odd piece, with his rear and the sides of his legs to his knees guarded by a silver material, and his fore region of that longitude was protected by a plate of brazen metal. Tucked into a sturdy leather belt beneath this article was a cloth, akin to the two his sibling wore on her leg-guards, only his, spared of fringe, was brown with golden triangles that were arranged in such a way as to had three parallel lines on either side. There was only a twice occurrence of these, or at least, from what the casual observer could see. Flaring out from beneath the armor piece was a pair of loose pants, dyed a predominantly green shade of turquoise. Across the bottom, there was a jagged stripe of the same crimson that predominated the rest of his attire. Just visible as he walked were metal leg-guards, which ended neatly with the top of the man's clog-shoes, which, apart from being steely blue instead of teal, were exactly alike.

When he entered his workshop, the first thing he noticed was the blast of warmed air which indicated heated forage. How his sister managed to keep the thing ablaze, day and night, was something he would never know. Her predominant spirits were Salamander and Shade, where his were Undine and Wisp. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

Gingerly opening the heavy, metal-plated door tat separated him from the forge, the man had gone a full ten paces into the room and almost drawn out the piece of steel he'd intended to make arrowheads out of before he noticed that he was not alone in the room.

Smudged with dirt and old ash, the figure appeared to be sleeping but the trickle of blood issuing from the corner of its mouth appeared otherwise. Swearing something horrid-he hated being in such a _damned _bad situation-he hefted the limp figure and began trudging out of the forge and into his home once more. The figure was light, and as he walked, he checked for a pulse. The wrists were thin, and he could feel the bones of the fore arm. Swearing again with the realization that this person was emaciated but definitely alive, he set about boiling some water for a poultice that would ease the ragged, unsteady breaths of the body.

"Bud! Lisa! Set up a pallet in the study!" He ordered once the kettle was hung over the beginnings of a fire.

The oldest of the children regarded him with a look of confusion. "But why? Mistress Kieru just left..." And she trailed off as she watched Danatoth take a dampened cloth and begin to rigorously clean at the smears of ash and dried blood on the limp form's face.

"Just do it!" He snapped, not realizing his apprentice's realization. Damn it! Damn it damn it **_DAMN IT_**! Kieru, despite much protest, had the decidedly higher skill at healing, though neither of them was very good. And yet, the man was sure that this event had been just waiting for Kieru's departure.

After a long time of vigorous scrubbing, Danatoth managed to draw two conclusions about the lifeless form; for one thing, it was most definitely inhuman, and two. It was decidedly female. The thought of the second observation made him cringe. He had decided long ago that he would never purposely see a woman in less than adequate clothing. He was rather squeamish about the female anatomy. And yet, he was sure most of her injuries lay beneath the ragged once-white dress she wore.

The Mana hero. The man that had defeated a goddess...

...Was afraid of dressing the wounds of a woman if it meant displaying more flesh than proper. Sighing at his predicament, he wondered what she would think of it if he could make her survive. She wasn't unbecoming, from what he could see, but she wasn't human.

Though her hair was too filthy to have a distinguished color, there was also a light layer of fur that covered from her hairline to what he could see of the tattered neckline of her garment. It was a dark, nearly black blue. That was not the only inhuman feature about her, either. A slightly protruding jaw line made her mouth appear like a feline muzzle, but her most peculiar feature was her horn. Protruding from her forehead, it had a fine, silvery quality to it, and appeared smooth, like glass. Unconsciously, he reached up and touched her forehead, checking for fever.

He gasped and drew his hand back to stare at it with awe. He'd had a very old scar there that'd split recently. In place of the torn flesh was healthy, pink skin. When he reached up to touch her forehead again, he carefully, almost reverently, did not touch the glossy protrusion. No sweat had beaded on that fine, dark-blue brow, but the flesh beneath had felt akin to a hot coal. A bad sign; she had Firehead.

Once more aware of the fact that this major illness was caused by festering wounds, Danatoth put on a firm resolve before carefully removing the dress from around its wearer. Thankfully, the woman wore a breast-band and a loincloth of sorts beneath her dress. Sighing and muttering a prayer of gratitude to the goddess, he began to assess the woman's wounds.

There were bruises around her neck, and the flesh was a swollen welt, which meant that someone had tried to hang her. A myriad of large, long gashes decorated the woman's body, which was as furry as her face. Someone had tried in desperation to kill her. He wondered who, and why in desperation, but wondered even more to the reason she'd been in his workshop.

Doggedly, he struck up a new vigil against the festering, dirt-encrusted wounds. He began with a peculiar mound on her chest, just below her clavicle. Blood had congealed and matted into her fur, so he had a hard time of it, but, eventually, he unearthed a peculiar sight.

A core.

Embedded within the woman's chest, it appeared to be a marbled jade. A smooth dome, a single scratch marred the surface, and even that was minor. The stone was a rather jaded shade of creamy sea-green, veined with a slightly blue white. As if making contact between the core and the air would rouse her, the girl moved fitfully in her state or pseudo unconsciousness.

After that, Danatoth all-but incased the girl's torso in white gauze before carrying her up, into his room. She was surprisingly light after having a large portion of the dirt on her knocked off.

"I guess we go disassemble the pallet now..." His eldest apprentice said, sighing. She was perhaps only three feet tall, though her age was a bit indefinable. She had violet hair, which matched with her slightly gray lavender eyes. There was a pale red bow perched atop her head, and a dress of much the same color adorning her brief person. A darker red fringe dangled from the skirt, tickling her shins. She wore a pair of blue leather boots. The oddest aspect of her, as well as her younger brother, was, in fact her ears. Very few elves lived in Fa'Deil, but one of their parents had been. Their ears were long and pointed, and looked as large and childlike as any other distinguishable feature of them.

"Of course not! I could hardly sleep in there..." He said, patting her fondly on her head. In Kieru's absence, Lisa was a powerful reprieve. His sister had left her mark of sarcasm on the girl; it agitated him to no end. She smiled with the realization that, once again, her master had been the gracious host and given up his own quarters to his guest.

"I see. And, if you don't mind, I'm going to forage in Kieru's untouched closet for things for our guest to wear when she comes to. And probably test magic on her dress. I learned how to use it to do menial tasks, but I've never tried it past sweeping." She smiled cattishly at the idea before stalking up into the room with the injured occupant to find her decent clothing. She had learned early on about his squeamishness about feminine anatomy.

Sighing with relief, her resumed is his desired action of forging arrowheads. After awhile, he'd made about thirty, and a spear as well. By the time he'd finished, the rain had become more than a promise; a light, misty drizzle left minute, glimmering spheres of dew on any available surface on the outside of his home.

Smiling to himself, he began preparing the midday meal.

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Some time later, when the drizzle had become a rain which had become a storm, the strange woman chose to awaken. Blearily, she opened one large eye. The light of a dim candle cast it into relief as she attempted to move. It gleamed a virulent shade of bright silver, veined with royal gold. In stead of the normal, human circle of iris, hers was slit like those of a feline.

For a moment, she pondered at the restriction of white linen and gauze about her torso. It gave her breast band a wide berth, she noted. Probably some nervous male healer. She realized that he would probably prefer her in clothing, if she still possessed any. Her dress was absent, replaced instead by a long white shirt and a dark blue robe. She donned the articles rapidly and began a slow limp down the stairs that were the only exit to the room she was in.

The sight that greeted her was welcome. A young child had her dress, restored to its former, pallid glory by washing, laid across her lap, with a needle and thread in one hand. The girl looked up in time to see the inhuman woman slump weakly against the railing of the staircase. "Daaanaaaatooooth!" She shrieked, throwing open a door that lead off of the main room.

"What's on fire this time?!" A startled male voice hollered from inside of the room. The woman's vantage on the staircase inhibited her view into the room, but it was obvious that the occupant of it was the one who had bandaged her up, for on first sight he sighed greatly.

"Oh, it's you." He said, leaning on the doorway and holding at his chest. "She never shrieks like that unless Bud's caught something on fire." He did look like that'd been what he'd expected.

Much to the woman's displeasure, her belly gurgled something awful. "I am hungry..." She said, meekly. It sounded rough but oddly melodious. She limped along the wall, rather cattish claws leaving minute indents in the sturdy walls. When she finally let go of the wall, she stood before Danatoth. Well, towered was a better phrase; without her horn, she managed a good ten in inches over him. "But this is more important."

Kneeling in something akin to a bow, the female waited for a moment before standing. "I believe I have the pleasure of addressing Danatoth Nivare, yes? And where is Miss Kieru Nivare? The King insisted I bring this two the two of you." She looked crestfallen when he explained that Kieru had left some hours prior to her discovery.

"And just who is your king and why did he send you?" Danatoth added after a moment's pause for air.

"That," The woman (or was it a girl...?) said with a rather odd look. "Is as close to blasphemy as disowning the king. Or, at least, in our lands. Oh, but do let me explain. I Reia, part of an ambassadorial expedition to Fa'Deil. My twin brother, Ryo, and he who is besotted with my protection, Lan, are about this place in the city called Roar. Or, in your case, the standard name is...Lumina? Yes? Good." She smiled sheepishly at him. "I've been out of it for awhile; my people can go for a good week with no food and very little drink." She indicated her thin wrists and tentatively flexed her knee so that the hollow behind it seemed more defined.

"Good; it's about supper time, anyway." He was a little shocked at the woman; he was unused to so much being said at one time. Kieru would most often say two of her favored words when disturbed; "shut" "up" But this was downright odd to him. Even companions he'd traveled with had usually been quiet, or even silent. He'd once spent a slow trip visiting the Jumi in Etansel with his sibling. When he had gotten there, many a cold stare had been spared for him. Only Pearl had acted differently. Pearl...

Clearing his head of thoughts of the sun-haired woman he was all-but besotted with, he snapped his attentions back on his guest.

"I never answered the second half of your question." Reia noticed with a smile in her pretty voice. "Or the first, for that matter. I am of a race of mountain dwelling peoples called the Ronso. Our king is really the clan elder that was chosen by our people; our current leader is an aged male called Savarend tsar'Anyearved. Our society is matrilineal." She smiled in a fashion that any man with half a wit would recognize as smug triumph. "I have been sent as a messenger of bad tidings, I'm afraid. The Mana tree has begun to seed."

"Isn't that a good thing?" He asked, puzzled.

"If you wish for the vileness of the goddess to once more take the world into chaos. The king's letter, which was supposed to arrive before us, will contain details. If you would permit, I would take one meal and depart." She smiled readily. "I must see what the two little morons I've been sent with are doing in my absence. Heaven forbid, they're probably terrorizing some human females in taverns. Ryo is terrible with his alcohol. And his lecherousness." She looked disgusted before giving Danatoth an odd look. "Just where did you find me, anyway?"

"In my Workshop, about three hands breadth from the forge fire. How did you get there?"

Her eyes glazed over; her body went limp; her matted mane of hair seemed to weigh her entire body to fall backwards. However, Danatoth was faster than the force of gravity and caught the woman before she measured her length on his hardwood floor.

"I will not mention it again..." She managed in a breathy voice. "_You_ will not mention it again." She lifted a proffered set of clawed digits and brandished them threateningly.

"I'm sorry, but when I put you to bed mere hours ago you had Firehead. And you're covered in too many wounds to count, many of which festered." He prodded at the linen, which was apparent through the rather sheer shirt. Damn Lisa and all of her making fun of him! But then again, he had to blame his sister for even having the garment, didn't he?

"Again?" She said, smacking a hand to her forehead below the horn. "That's the third time this year. I am a hunter for my clan; I get more serious maladies with that occupation." It was Danatoth's turn to look faint at that. Knowing what he was about to ask, she smiled in her smugly feline way again. "Our horns have healing properties." She nodded and lifted one of her arms. There was a long, shallow gash which she brushed against the side of her horn. As soon as the two surfaces touched, the scabbing blood became flesh, and almost immediately, fur grew over that. "But, I could permit myself to invade on your hospitality until the storm passes." She smiled in her feline way again, though it was not smug this time. She was a very interesting person.

* * *

The eternal city of night was also experiencing the storm, being only some thirty miles from Domina. Rain and small pellets of hail showered upon the rain covering of the out-door tavern, the 'Mana Angel". This accounted for two things; one, that the floor and seats were wet, and two, that there were only about five patrons at the tavern. And two of them were Ronso. Male Ronso.

The largest of the two stood at least seven and a half feet tall, not accounting for his horn, which occasionally brushed the cover of the tavern. His fur was too dark to be anything but black, with his hair a shade of dementedly dark gray. Eyes of a depthless black seemed to seethe with many thoughts, but no emotion was truly discernible from those glimmering black spheres. His simple tunic was of a shade to match his hair, though it seemed to strain against well defined and toned muscles around his physique. It was also unlaces to a certain point to display a glimmering sphere of stone, not a scratch to be seen on the surface, the seemed to radiate blackness. Black Ronso were rare, even more so in males, but it made him appear truly rabid.

His companion, obviously reveling in the fact that he was drunk, was about a foot shorter, and built much more thickly. His fur was a shade of mutedly dark blue, with his hair being more white that blue. His eyes, bright gold veined with silver, were glazed with the stupor-induced blankness of drunkenness. He wore decidedly less than his reserved companion, with just an elaborate, modestly wide loincloth and a heavy weight of necklaces adorned with various animal bones and teeth. He was a proud hunter, like his sister. Nestled among the many threaded leather thongs, his core of iolite gleamed dully. It always looked dull when he was drunk.

"Oi! Lan, these spirits are wonderful! Try some!" Coming from the drunk's mouth, it sounded sloshed together, but the black was accustomed to such style of speech from his friend, who had been like a brother for a long time.

"I'm concerned for Reia. She was supposed to be here three days ago. I'm keeping a clear head in case she shows up during the storm." It was the most he'd ever said at once. The drunk merely nodded and tossed down another greedy portion of the strong spirits that were his favorite. Lan knew that the other was concerned for Reia, also. They were, after all, siblings.

Lan all-but jumped as a figure came into view of the city, clattering noisily up the carefully carved and maintained stone steps that lead to the tavern. It was a rather soaked human female, wearing an odd tunic and clog-shoes. Why the humans even needed shoes was beyond Lan; their people had pads on the souls of their feet. None-the-less, the female was very soon standing at the counter.

"Your strongest spirits, 'keep. I want to loose the feeling of running all day in rain." The voice was rougher than any human's he'd ever heard, but also tinged with something he could not define. In very short order, she was seated near their table and was discreetly observing the pair of them. The bottle was only partially full; she'd downed that as soon as the bottle was open and in her hand.

"It's a rare sight, seeing Ronso this far south in winter," she said at last, allowing her attentions to be seen more easily. "I've only ever seen one other, and she died of old age. Which, I hear, is rare in your people?" For having downed such powerful alcohol, she seemed unaffected, although she seemed more relaxed. She sighed richly. "I feel so short..." She muttered at last. It was true; she stood a good three inches taller than the average human male. But that still put her a hand shorter than Ryo.

"Indeed. We were sent to warn someone of something. Do you happen to know the residence of Danatoth and Kieru Nivare?" His own voice was as angular as the woman's face.

She glared at him. Not an angry glare, just an intense study. "Would you believe me if I said you were addressing a one Kieru Nivare?" It sounded oddly humored, as if she found something amusing. It killed him that he did not know.

He started, also, and dropped in something akin to an elegant bow, albeit a brief and short one. "Forgive me." He said, with a smile that changed only the angle of his lips over his jutting muzzle. "I did not know. With any luck, your sibling will be entertaining Reia Czareaina for the duration of the storm. She crept off with a note on her pillow three weeks ago, but knowing her, she probably injured herself in the process."

Remarkably, he reminded her of Elazul, worrying over Pearl if she was gone. There was a sting to her thoughts as Elazul entered them. Of what emotion, she would not allow herself to even think of.

"I hope she's alright. I also hope that she isn't injured in any place not covered by a garment; Danatoth's afraid of girls." She giggled in a most insane way, which sounded odd coming from her. She rarely giggled, almost never laughed, and she was sure chuckling would split her sides, but did not know what it felt like.

Ryo chortled as he finally noticed Kieru. "Now there's a pretty one!" He said drunkenly. He advanced slowly and began saying a million things that would make even the most astute whore blush with shame. Just as he got close enough to reach down at the most inappropriate area, the woman who was beginning to feel violated, pushed her fist outwards in the action that could only be described as decking. Ryo measured his length on the paving stones, completely inert.

"I do hope that he takes no offence. My heart belongs to someone else." She wouldn't admit who, though, not even to herself...

Lan laughed softly. "No, no, of course not. It'll do him some good to be injured by a pretty girl. And, no offence, if there can be any in what is usually a compliment, but I can't say you're not pretty." He smiled, but it did not touch his eyes. The black pools seemed as if trying to drown Kieru as she gazed with the barest blade of anger into them.

"None taken, if you're seriously smart enough not to be a pervert." She smiled, her eyes glimmering with amusement for a moment before becoming hollow again, and pulled a long draught from her bottle. She looked near enough ready to melt with relaxation. Alcohol must be nothing new to her. It shocked him a little, since females of his race rarely even touched alcohol.

"That's good to hear then." For a moment, he watched as Ryo staggered to his feet. He was partially sobered. And rubbing his bloodied mandible. She had hit hard. "I suggest you reconsider who you try to take advantage of next time." He suggested, helping the shorter male to his feet fully.

"But, but..." He trailed off, sounding like a defeated child. "But I was drunk!"

"That's always an excuse, isn't it?" Kieru offered with a touch of wry humor.

"Oh, yes, that's right. Ryo, this is Kieru Nivare. Currently into her second bottle of strong spirits. She'd be an excellent drinking partner for you." Lan grinned as Ryo dropped a deep and gracious bow and rose with a sober face.

"We come with the tiding of bad news..." Ryo was officially sober.

* * *

_Wow, I did it! Times New Roman, Ten Point, nine pages. Can I do it? well, I just did. R 'n R, thankies..._


	2. Queen's Moonlight City Roar

Grrrr…I gave my disclaimer, and I will in chapter six if ever I get that far.. If you need to see it, it's in the Prologue, the chapter 'The Messenger'. If you didn't notice, I made the female character dominant over the male. Dude. I'm a girl. The only reason I used the name Kieru is because in reality, my brother's character is Danatoth. I named mine Rose. If I were to have named her Rose, I'd've given her too much over Danatoth, since my brother, despite being older in actual time, has played a some seventy hours less than me. His character is a level Fourty-Nine; Rose is at Nintey-Nine. His strongest weapon is a pair of Crimson Glare (A pair of aerolite daggers(I forgot what stone)) at fifty-eight, mine is the Dior Wood Bow at level Eight hundred and Fifteen. No, I don't have the Japanese version of the game. It took me forever to get the damn bow to begin with.

This chapter follows up immediately with the Prologue, in case you didn't notice…Also, the 'impression' that takes placed has nothing to do with Anne Mccaffrey's hold on my mind via. Pern. It is similar but not the same.

* * *

The scent of thick rabite broth predominated the main living space inside of Danatoth's home. Indeed, everything seemed to predominate that small room, including the voices of Reia and Danatoth as they conversed. Outside, the storm raged in a fury, angry pellets of hail pummeling like snare drums on the windows.

Un-noticed by the two indoors, a rather battered bird landed in front of Danatoth's home long enough to insert a piece of thick, luxurious parchment into his mailbox before winging away again. Except for that, when it departed, it caught Reia's eye.

"You get post by bird, right? Specifically a white pelican?" It had butted in on their conversation about, of all things, raising pets. But that didn't really matter. Or did it?

"Indeed. I didn't think she'd want to deliver the post today, though. Maybe it's the letter that was supposed to warn me of you." He grinned easily at that. "Also, I'm going to see if something happened in the coral; a few minutes ago I heard Kieru's _Lashadane_ making the most unearthly sound." A _Lashadane_ was one of the largest creatures Danatoth had even known., and just what his sister saw in the beast was not visible to him.

And, indeed, when he entered the Barn, the _Lashadane _was baying a call for Danatoth's attention. He watched, and finally saw what had been upsetting the beast. An aerial egg he'd acquired a few weeks back had fallen from the upper loft where his other pets resided, and now danced in the whirl of hatching. Cracks were forming , and several shards flew off at every jounce.

After what seemed hours, though it was only a few minutes, the hungry creel of an egg-fluid-soaked beast. It looked like no other he had ever seen. _Danatoth is here? Near his Taayx? His is hungry and cold._ The creature creeled piteously again before heading towards one of the filled feedboxes and gorging himself. Unaware, Danatoth realized that he felt as though he had never tasted food. When he got inside, he'd probably do his guest's appetite up one.

"Who said that?!" The man exclaimed, leaping into the air. Never had he ever had such a sensation of unconditional love and affection as he did now. The beast proceeded to eat the contents of three more feedboxes, though it shied away from the scent of the _lashadane _on the fifth. Finally, the thick covering of viscous material slid smoothly off of the little best, unearthing it.

It seemed ethereal, the beast. A pair of wings lifted towards the roof, the cruelly spurred appendages flailing in order to rid themselves of the remainder of the sticky egg residue. The wings were bedecked in shimmering feathers, like minute prisms, though there seemed a glimmer about the extremities. Curiously, Danatoth laid a hand on the wing of the beast, and drew it back instantly. He stared at the beginnings of a burn turning the flesh of his palm bright crimson. It was not a serious burn, but it had felt like fire for the moment of contact.

Whatever the beast was, it acknowledged the presence of the man at once but turning on him and tripping him. For a moment, he stifled a moan of pain as his burned flesh slammed forcefully into the straw strewn dirt floor. His moan only lengthened when he realized that his fingers were cut several times. Blood left rivulets on his dusty palms, and dyed the dirt on the ground pale red. Hurriedly, he pressed his fingers to his leggings as a sort of compress in order to cease the bleeding. The creature took the opportunity left by this moment to taste the blood of the man.

The rest of the creature, Danatoth now took the time to notice, was also bedecked in shimmering plumage. It had a definite undertone of sky blue, as if the flesh beneath were ghastly white. It was shaped vaguely like a kid dragon, with a ridge of spines resting in a slight hollow along the spine. Large, doleful, crimson eyes stared at the man who was to be his soul mate forevermore.

Danatoth reached out the stroke the creature's skull, just between the eyes. The warmth was just that, not heated enough to be even remotely hot, and the creature made a sound akin to a purr as the man took a much more vigorous hand at the task. The creature ruffled its plumage, and suddenly it changed. The undertone of the feathers suddenly seemed pale red as opposed to blue, and the warmth faded into a soothing coolness. The man gasped suddenly and drew his hand back so suddenly that he carried himself a pace back with force.

His hand, which had started scabbing, was suddenly as it had been. It was the same sensation that he had experienced when he'd brushed Reia's horn. But what was more disconcerting was the dragon's sudden changed in body temperature. And color; now there was a riddle; blue for hot and red for cold. How intriguing.

When he returned inside the small creature was closely pursuing him. Reia ogled the beast for a moment with popping eyes. "Where, in the name of the goddess, did you find a _thryyaine_? They are holy beasts! The last seen was over three centuries ago!" Her excitement was odd; she'd seemed abject to anything religious. The creature gave a piercing gaze toward the Ronso woman.

_What of the enlightened she, if Taayx might inquire? Why does she dare grace our presence?_ The creature sounded angered, and if body language were any guide, the creature's tense stance spoke volumes. The sound that emanated from its throat was nothing short of feral anger. The snarling beast was regarding Reia with eyes that seemed virulently infuriated, as well as dangerously bloody. _Why do you not punish her for disrespect? Does Taayx have to do it?_

As if Reia could hear the creature's thoughts, she knelt in a bow that would have done the meekest servant proud. He heard the soft rustle of both her matted hair and horn against his floor, and knew that there was some tie between the beast and her religious belief, however detachedly she held them. For a moment, Danatoth waited for her to straighten again. A minute passed in utter silence before he mustered the courage to break the palpably tense air.

"Enough!" He shouted, his voice somehow reverberating throughout the room. She leapt to her feet, drawing in on herself and cowering. The creature-he was sure the race was not called the Taayx-purred smugly. Danatoth then realized his error.

"Reia?" He asked, tentatively, reaching for her hand. She mewled with a crazed fright and dove towards the door. However, he managed to snatch her arm before she could force it open and leap through. "Reia! I might not know you well, but I did not mean to frighten you. I have never been the one to shout. I do not understand what came over me. Forgive me…" He carefully guided her towards the table and her previous chair.

She would not sit until he instructed her to do so. "Please, I want you to explain what…Taayx is…" He sounded the slightest bit meek himself. The creature had followed the man and perched himself comfortably on the floor.

"He named himself? I did not think they would do so quickly…" Her voice was disbelieving, but full of awe. "Taayx," She began with the utmost respect. "Is a _Tasharaad_; they are holy beasts of the goddess. They are her sole children; the goddess created the world, but she did not birth the creatures of it. Born of any saplings of the Mana Tree, they are extensions of the goddess to her people. They are worthy of the utmost respect. To be chosen by a _Tasharaad_ is to be raised to the utmost level within a temple of the goddess. Your status, were you one of us, would be equaled to that of a priest or priestess." She bowed again to the beast. "How might I serve?" This was addressed to Taayx alone.

_You could relieve this poor creature of the terrible itch down his left wing_ The creature said in mock piteousness as it offered the proffered extremity. She smiled slightly and reverently scratched the reddish white plumage and the flesh beneath. Obviously, the creature wanted to be touched. Perhaps temperature changed with emotion…?

The creature purred and butted the woman's hand affectionately. Apparently, any transgressions the creature had felt affronted by had been resolved by the tender care the woman put into rubbing the creature's hide. _So there shall be two…? The human will not suffice. I am yours, Reia, heiress of High Priestess Fyryaine regh'Tramand Aneith, and you are mine.. You are destined to follow in her traces._ Reia gasped as a feeling of contented love and warmth spread through her. Danatoth's eyes widened.

"What does this signify?" He asked at last. The creature finally backed away and curled up next to the fire.

"A twice bond…" Reia breathed at much the same time, eliciting momentary confusion. "With mention of my Ancestress. Goddess, I will die from the shock!" And certainly, the sudden realization that Danatoth now felt _three_ bundles of thought and emotion that were not his was startling. Most defined was Taayx, and next was those which had to be Reia's. Third, and most vague, were Kieru's. It seemed that natural empathy was weaker than created empathic bonds.

"I guess I'll let us recover by reading the letter, then?" Danatoth inquired, allowing a steely smile to come over his features. Carefully, he unfolded the thick parchment. The script was fine and spidery, and rather neat.

_ My Highest Regards to a One Danatoth Nivare,  
And a One Kieru Nivare,_

_I bid you hello! I am afraid, however that, though I am to be a new acquaintance, my first words to you are to be of bad tidings. The body of the great goddess, the Holy Tree of Mana, has begun to seed itself about the world. This is a terrible thing! The normal beasts of the area have begun to change, become difficult and dangerous to catch once more. Our livestock and other animals have begun to change, also. Oxen have begun to birth calves with terrible horns and oddly sharpened teeth. Horses die birthing foals that look more like four legged sky dragons. I am sure this is not the last letter you will receive on this problem.I have sent three messengers to find you. Reia Czareaina, Ryo Czareaina, and Lan al'Thorein. They should arrive within a week of this letter. _

_ My Deepest Regards,  
Savarend tsar'Anyearved._

For a moment, he gaped at the thing as though it had produced voice and sung a shanty. "He is to be an acquaintance? How sure of that is he?" He chocked on the last; he did not like people who made arrogant assumptions. "I am very tempted not to go and meet him, now." The last had a hint of steel to it. To him, assume was spelled in such a manner as to string out as ass-u-me. In other words, it meant that it was going to make an ass of the two it was meant for in the end.

Reia looked at him smugly. The _Tasharaad _purred as a reflection to her emotion. "You don't have a choice. Twice-bonds work in not only forming a bridge to our minds, but also are, for some ghastly reason, rather painful the further we are apart. If I were to go, say, five miles, you and I both would experience a migraine of terminal proportion, though it wouldn't be fatal. That's just how it works. We should go as soon as the storm ends. It takes two weeks to get to Roar, but about a day extra to get from here to there. And that is if we run the whole time, which we shan't be doing with a hatchling _Tasharaad_ in tow. That's about a month of sturdy travel unless you can find a steed large enough for me. And that won't shy away from Taayx." She petted the creature's silken plumage, and he once more emitted an almost purr.

Danatoth's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and soon the rest of his body went that way as well. He fainted dead away.

* * *

Having talked more than she could recall doing in a long time, Kieru was beginning to feel tired. That, and, after three and a half bottles of very strong spirits, anyone normal would be blind drunk, though in her it was only a vague bliss. Her companion frowned at her as she suddenly and abruptly cut off what he had been about to say. "Something wrong?" He asked, confused.

"You say that the Mana Tree going to seed is a bad thing, but that we should find a way to preserve the saplings while ridding them of the plaguing evil. But then you say that the only way to do that is to preserve a single leaf and nurse it back to health, but that then the resulting tree runs risk of being overtaken by the plague again! Goddess! It's more than even a sober mind could comprehend! I always was told that other races could be trivial, and that anything with a core would be less so; you are as trivial as they come!" _That_ was more than she'd ever said at once. She could confirm that. Perhaps the alcohol had loosened her tongue a bit. After a moment, though, she sagged backwards. "Goddess, I'm tired…" It sounded like a ripple breaking on a boulder, resulting in little or no sound.

She trotted away, towards the only place that allowed her free rooming. Not that she wasn't fond of the person who owned the place, but she certainly did not like the woman's personality.

Softly, she pushed open a moderately embellished door to reveal the room within. The flickering light of at least fifty different lamps gave the chamber an otherworldly glow, and cast the shopkeeper, who could be described as nothing else but a siren, into an ethereal aura. "Monique?" She asked, softly, pushing the door open the rest of the way. "May I stay in your spare room tonight?"

The siren was just that-so be it that the soldiers of the imperial navy thought them hags-and one of the most beautiful women that any man could dream of. Or, that is, until you realized that they shared the lower portions of doves. Monique's face was beautiful, but oddly delicate, even for a siren. High cheekbones gave way to an even more fragile jaw line. Her porcelain complexion was the result of spending many years inside of her lamp shop. Her lips were full, but rather pale, albeit that they curved upward with recognition. Her eyes were an indiscernible shade of almost black gray, but the strong undercurrent of satisfaction and happiness made them glimmer as brightly as any pale stone.

She gave a little hop like step and leapt over her worktable. Her entire length from the waist down was that of a dove, including the long toes, which made her stance look uncomfortable. A wreath of spectral golden flowers and vines encircled her like an aura, fading into a plain emerald ribbon towards her waist, before the ends disappeared near her feet. A crown of similarly existent roses crowned her brow. The sirens could not decide what their wreath looked like; it was a reflection of how they actually were.

Monique's roses symbolized that she judged by a person's inner beauty, rather than appearance. The golden flowers symbolized generosity and purity of heart, and the health of the vines said that she had never taken a sailor's life. "Of course you may, Kieru. I still owe you for helping me sell my lamps when I nearly fell into poverty." Her smile was as warm as her eyes.

Kieru smiled and hugged the woman. Okay, she had to admit that she liked Monique; it was hard not to like her; she was too kind and generous. She didn't talk too much, either. "Thanks." She said, simply, before trotting off towards the storeroom.

When she opened the door, the first thing that greeted her was the scent of lamp oil and scented hemp wicks. She sought out a single crate, pushed away from the rest, filled with pillows and quilts. Quickly making herself a neat pallet, the last sounds she heard were the soft croons of her hostess. They lulled her into a relaxed rest.

The next day, the storm was pounding harder than before, if it were possible. She decided it was time to don her cloak, but also that there was little chance of leaving the town for the next few days. There was no problem there; Lan was rather nice company, despite his trivial state of mind. So, for the next three days, she would meet him at the tavern and they would discuss all manner of things. She let her notice of how slack the rain had become pass her until a rather unexpected sight met her one dank morning.

A female Ronso, as well as her brother, and an odd creature, came walking calmly up the steps to the tavern, speaking merrily.

"Reia!" Lan exclaimed in jubilation, sweeping the girl into a quick embrace.

"Hey!" Kieru exclaimed moments later. "Isn't that my shirt? And my robe? And my hair tie?" She glared accusingly at her brother, who shrugged.

"Her dress was torn to shreds, and Lisa noticed that your proportions were the same. What can I say?" His grin was rather malicious. "Before, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you kept a stash of identical tunics." He smiled at her grimace.

"Shut Up before you find yourself with one less head. I won't entail which of them I'd remove first." Before now, she had not cared notice the creature, but now that it was suddenly growling, with spurred wings outstretched, at her, she actually saw it.

"Hush, Taayx; she didn't mean it." He stroked the creature's head and gently folded its wings back against its back. "She says it a lot and doesn't mean it." Reia reached down and soothed the ruffled feathers that stood like a crest atop its head.

"No, no, Taayx, she wouldn't really do it; they're siblings." She added. Lan stared at her with nearly popping eyes, before muttering something about insane girls and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Both of you?" He asked incredulously.

She nodded.

"…A _Tasharaad_?!"

She nodded.

"He already named himself?!"

Once more, she nodded.

"Your mother isn't going to believe it!" He said, bowing to her quickly, though he didn't wait for instruction to straighten again. "Neither is high priest Frainye! He'll try to have you hung for blasphemy!"

"And probably be murdered by Taayx and me." Danatoth said, smiling in a steely manner. "I'd rather not have the sensation of being hung without actually dying."

Lan's eyes were more acid as he fixed a burning glare at Danatoth. "You! I'm surprised you had the mental strength that a _Tasharaad_ would seek out! Humans never seem have the knack." He sounded more irked than angry, though. "Neither Priest nor Priestess will like having a human possess higher rank than they."

After a moment, though, he inclined his head toward Danatoth's ear and murmured in a low voice, "I have a need to discuss something away from Reia. We shall do so later." It was not a request or an invitation, but a command. Danatoth feared for his neck on the tone; did the man wish to kill him?

"Well." Kieru said after a moment. "Since it seems we have to go meet their leader, I might as well make the detour to Etansel. It's on the way to their realm." She grinned. "Perhaps they'll open up to a race whose cores have been sought after before, too." She looked grimly cheer about it.

"Of course." Danatoth groaned inwardly. One of the beasts that had come with the saplings of the Goddess was capable of taking one person and splitting them asunder. It would create a body for the stolen half, and all would exist as normal. He ad heard that Jumi created siblings in a similar manner. If Blackpearl faced one…Pearl would…

Forcefully tearing thoughts of the woman whose heart he chased from his mind, he put thought back into the situation at hand. Departure time had been decided in his brief absence of mind; they were to be up and out by dawn, and there was to be no complaining.

They began socializing, the three Ronso and Two Humans, until the darkness was slightly darker than that of the daytime, signifying evening. Danatoth found himself surprised that his sibling had finally found a companion who could bring out the happier aspect of her.

To Danatoth, she was like a shellfish. On the outside, she was cold and hard; softness was a thing she had cast away with youth. But, with the proper coaxing, the shell could be opened. She did have discernible emotions; they were just hidden inside of her trivial, slightly crazed, mind.

"Hello?" The 'affore said female inquired, tapping her fist on his skull. "Is the withered material that we might call a brain present at this time?" She sounded slightly childish, which astonished him. He hoped her shell didn't always stay open; he almost preferred the solemn girl he'd grown up with much better.

"Hmn?" He asked as he fended off a second bought of fists wrapping on his skull, though this time they were Ryo's.

"Kieru was just asking," Reia began with evident relish, "If you intended to say hello to Pearl when we got there alone or with all of us in tow." And indeed, Ryo's evident snicker signified that Kieru had said something about him and the Jumi of Purest White. He knew better than to counter with anything; any mention of Elazul would turn warm merriment into icily contained rage.

He murmured something strangled that sounded like "I can't say.", before rising from his seat. "I'm going to go check our supplies;" He said at last and left the laughing lot of them. He growled slightly as Reia gave him a knowing wink before turning to the group.

"He looked ready to chew your head off, Kieru. How important is Pearl to him?" The curious Ronso female inquired after he had departed from hearing range. Taayx's hue began to seem greener than his previous contented red. He growled menacingly at her.

_He loves her! He wanted to retort, but his sister must have some feel for the person named Elazul; I sensed much animosity in his mind. Perhaps his fear of her response frightens him._ He sounded slightly approving. _He has told me much of her, for in his thoughts she is never far from significance. _

Reia grinned knowingly, "Thanks, Taayx. No need to say more, Kieru; I have a mind reader."

Lan suddenly stood up from his seat. "I'm turning in early tonight. See you in the morning." Reia realized at once how strange it was that Lan was going to retire early. He seemed to never sleep.

On the whole curious, she watched him go, but knew better than to try to stop him.

* * *

"I knew you'd follow." Danatoth said as Lan trudged silently behind him. He had, in fact, only taken the liberty of walking to the flight of steps in front of an empty building near the "Mummy Seeker".

"I will say this, and I will say it in no uncertain terms. I care deeply for Reia. I have dedicated my life to keeping her safe, as her mother entrusted her guardianship to me. You are nothing more than an interloper on that term. But, if ever she is in your presence, under your protection, and anything happens to her, let it be known in no uncertain terms that I will maul you. I know killing would leave her insane, but mauling wears off very soon after." His voice was emotionless, but something about his eyes told Danatoth that he meant every word of it.

"I will try my best." He said at last, not portraying a whit of thought beneath his guise of noncholance. He was good at looking relaxed; when Pearl was around, he tried to do so, so that she did not catch the tension or feel, which could be dangerous.

"Damn straight." He said, easing a bit. The stiffness in his stance eased ths slightest bit, and his face relaxed. "So, how about we go check supplies now that that's settled?"

"I don't see why not; I wasn't lying about checking over. Ru says that I'm a worrywart."

"Ru?"

"Get used to it; Kieru is Ru, and I am Danny to her, or Toth. You'll hear her call me one of those soon enough."

* * *

Wow! I turned out a chapter in a week! Or less! I feel so good....

Reviews: Feral Claw: Thanks. Ryo, like I said, is based off of a friend's concept. To quote him while we were discussing outline(this dude's not literate enough to appreciate the word concept, but he wanted to tell me the exacts of his character) he told me "that Ryo drinks more than normal and is a pervert. A very disguisting, aggrivating pervert. Who gets decked every once in a while..." The last bit was his idea! Honestly! Dactuar(we call him that) is odd.

And, about the style and complexity: At my school, complexity is a big word! Well, so is Deoxyribonucleic Acid, but that's scientific, so it dosen't count... In math, we have groups, and I have the two most annoying boys in school.Their language is horrid! On purpose! I wanted to let my fingers flow on the keyboard; this is how I write. Deal with it!


	3. Bejeweled Streets and Odd Encounters

Heheh. This is the result of me turning my hair dark brown when I was light blonde. It looks good on me but I hate it. This took a long time 'cause we gots to go Ski. WHEEEE!

I just want it to be known that I have put my all into this, and, therefore, and disappointed that I have only one friend reviewing me. Why did everyone read the one-shot? WHY?! Blind sucks to me…

On with deh show!

* * *

_Dear Merr,_

_I haven't talked to you in so long. I wish you were still with me. So I could revel in your smiling face. Today marks the third year since your death. To me, it feels like the third hour. Lan has told me I should try to forget your death, and he got a bit frustrated when I told him that these days and weeks I've chronicled in this book are to your spirit, wherever you may be. Did you join your sister in the sky?_

_Enough. The day you died, you told me not to regret. _

_I managed to get the girl Kieru to let me call her "Ru" today. On a similar note, Danatoth is now "Toth". It's completely odd that Ru opened up so easily. Toth said it usually takes years to earn her trust. Maybe not. Maybe it's that she likes Jumi, and we count. After all, don't we have cores? Anyway, nothing major happened today. Taayx still can't fly, Ru still isn't convinced that drinking is bad, and Ryo got decked because he tried to out-drink her and got the lewdness again._

_With deepest love,_

_Reianaa_

_Post Script: I'll write more later._

Reia sighed as she closed the journal. She'd kept it for a long time, nearly four years. With a wry sort of humor she recalled when it had merely been a log of the happenings of the day. That had been before Merr had died.

Merr had been father, brother, protector, and teacher. When he died, she had been bound to Lan by complex knots and weaves of her twisted mother's devices. At first he had frightened her; large, silent and dark, figuratively and mentally, he had been far too brooding and depressing to spend too much time around. Now she looked to him with a bond as close as that she had shared with Merr.

She slid the diary back into her satchel and tied it closed. They had been in sight of Etansel since midday. Now they were nearing the gates, and Danatoth had begun to fidget nervously. Kieru had taken on a relaxed air, and the two male of her species had become so tense that the air around them seemed almost palpable.

Behind her, Taayx nudged her hand. He wanted attention so much. But, she had managed to shut him out during her writings in the book, so all he knew was that she seemed upset. She absently reached down to stroke his sensitive neck and throat, and realized that she did not have to reach down very far. He was growing so fast. It had been only nine days since he'd hatched. Were Tasharaad supposed to grow this quickly?

Her trail of thought was interrupted when a pair of strange voices hailed them.

"What reason have you for proceeding toward the Bejeweled City?" They asked, in unison. The overtone was of a masculine voice, though the softer was feminine.

"Gate duty, Esmeralda? Did Blackpearl start your training, then? Or are you teaching her, Rubens?" Kieru asked, looking towards the place on either side of the giant gate where a person was standing. One was a human male, wearing clothes adorned with thread-of-gold flames on a crimson background. From what she could see, the girl wore a strange shirt and a pair of baggy trousers. These clothes, though odd, were nothing compared to her hair. Not only did she have a great deal of it, from what Reia could see, but it was such a shade of blazing emerald that the real stone, which was bared by the low neck of the girl's blouse, looked somewhat pale.

"Kieru!" The girl exclaimed happily. She dashed down from her vantage, opened the gate and rushed out to hug the woman. "You haven't come to visit us in nearly five months! I'll go get your rooms ready right away! There're five of you? " She paused, suddenly realizing that all three of the demi-humans had cores.

"If you don't have room, then we've agreed that boys can share their own room, and Kieru and I can use another." Reia said, unaware that Esmeralda was not aghast by their number but their race.

"Are you…Ronso?" The green-haired girl asked, staring at all three of them intensely.

"You gonna stare at us all day? Yes, we're Ronso. Inhuman. Horned, Core-Containing, Lion-kin. Is this an issue?" Ryo sounded cross. Surprising; Reia was sure that she'd have to drag him off of the younger woman later; she actually was rather pretty. Her large, childish green eyes trailed toward Danatoth and Kieru after a few more moments of silence.

"I'm glad that you're willing to share; our community is growing rapidly." Esmeralda explained before rushing back and darting up several flights of stairs. She had reached the third tier when she entered and soon exited two rooms. She darted back down, panting slightly. "All ready. I'm going to go alert Diana and Flourina." And she bolted off again.

"I'm her combat instructor, but it seems that Blackpearl is more interested in making her a messenger." Rubens sounded slightly agitated.

"I hope she aspires into a good knight." Danatoth said kindly before leading his fellows up the tiers to their rooms.

* * *

"Wooooooow…." Reia appraised when the two girls entered the room. There were two good-sized beds, both covered by lovely quilts, sitting in the southwest and northwest corners of the room. A tapestry depicting the hunting scene of two large wolves hung between the beds on the wall. Another room filtered out tantalizing steam and, upon closer inspection of it by Reia, was actually discovered to be a chamber with a bathing pool. Several large, thick towels were stacked on a table, but, otherwise, the chamber was empty. Just outside of the small room there was a floating mirror and a writing desk.

"D'you mind if I take a quick bath?" She inquired. Kieru, who had finished stacking her things away in the corner, was sitting on the edge of one of the beds. She looked as if immersed in thought.

"Wha-oh, sure. Esmeralda alerted the cooks, and we'll be eating soon. I wanna take one when you're done." She sighed richly and fell onto her back, eyes closed. She was obviously thinking extremely hard about whatever she was thinking about.

Cheerfully, Reia retrieved a change of clothes from her bag and entered the room. After a few minutes of fumbling with the sliding door, she managed to close it and was very soon disrobed and stepping into the deep pool. It was nice; it was tall enough for her to lay down in it if she wanted. And deep enough to sink under and have two inches of water above. After a few more minutes of probing, she realized that it circulated, and that the water managed to remain very clear and warm.

Content that she would not soil the water for Kieru, she flounced under the surface and sat there for a moment. Enveloped in the water, eyes closed, she was impervious to disturbing tone with whish Kieru was using to scream at herself. However, when she pulled her head out of the water to get at the pile of scrubbing sand, she heard the voice. It sounded confused and angry.

"What is wrong with you?!" Kieru asked, loudly. Reia took it upon her to check and thus donned a towel and slid the door open slightly. There were nail-marks in Kieru's palms, and an angry expression on her face, but there was no one else in the room.

Unaware that she was being watched, the blonde grabbed hold of her thick tresses and yanked stiffly. After a moment, she collapsed onto a small stool which had previously been beneath the desk. Fascinated, she watched as her newfound friend removed the pipes that adorned her hair and began to comb the thick mass.

She was about to return to the tub when she heard Kieru speak again. "There. I needed that. To stop thinking about things…about him…" She sounded calm, and Reia felt relieved when her friend settled on her bed and pulled a small journal out of her essentials bag.

Feeling that her friend's little spell of insanity was over, she returned to the once-more clean water and struck up a storm against her hair. Despite traveling through heavy rain, it hadn't been completely clean in some time. Perhaps she could make it look nice for the sake of representation of her race. She hated brushing it; her hair was more like a mane, and it tangled horribly.

Reia walked out of the bathing room at the same time that Esmeralda left. Sitting on a tray was two bowels of a rich stew. There was a small bottle of spirits next to Kieru's bowl, and some sort of slightly fermented drink in a small glass near her plate. There was also a pitcher of water and two empty cups in the middle of the tray.

Kieru was silent as she ate. When, at last, she finished the hearty helping she regarded her friend with an odd look in her eyes. "What's the matter, Ru?" Reia asked at last. The silence had become too palpable.

"Did you hear me berate myself?"

"Yeah, so?"

She eased, leaning back onto her bed. "I'm so glad that you don't know which him I'm having problems with." She said, closing her eyes.

After a moment, she stood up and cracked her knuckles. After a moment, she arched her back and popped that, too. "I'm going to bathe." She explained, digging through her bag and coming up with a change of clothes.

As soon as Kieru shut the door, Reia lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. Sleep would come easily tonight; she was comfortable, for a change. Or so she thought.

_Can I sleep with you tonight? _Taayx asked, scraping on Reia's door. _Sure love. _She responded and opened the door. The good-sized creature whirred happily and leapt onto her bed. She got in and sighed. There was plenty of room for the holy beast; the bed was big, after all.

* * *

_(Time lapse; back a few minute to right before Kieru starts yelling at herself.)_

Danatoth smiled as he pushed the door open and entered the room he was sharing with his new companions. After a moment, he knew that he had been perfectly content with his actions.

Pearl had come to say hello. She had 'cornered' him on the small balcony-like protrusion of the ground out over the lake that was near the city. His suspicion had been fulfilled; Pearl and Blackpearl were no longer one person. One of those strange beasts had been encountered in the lake. Obviously they were an aquatic species, then. He didn't have to worry about facing one.

Lan and Ryo were out somewhere, talking about something, and he was blissfully alone. Taayx was looking at the water. Admiring it. He liked it quite a bit. But that was before he heard his sister bellow something.

"Why can't I stop thinking about him? Why?" They were not so much questions as angered exclamations.

Interested, he listened further. "Its not like I see him that much!" She was upset about something. Someone. He thought for a long time about it.

Elazul.

"What's wrong with you?!"

Ahh. She was pissed at herself. He had become accustomed to her habits, and this was one of them. She yelled at herself every so often. He guessed that it was the key to her self control; lose it one in a while and keep it all the time.

"Who's she yelling at?" Esmeralda asked, causing him to jump. She was pushing a tray. Three large portions of stew were resting on the stew, as well as three glasses with ice and a pitcher of water.

"Herself." He replied, looking hungrily at the stew.

"Oh. I remember now; she did it once when we were looking for my sisters' cores. Locked herself in the hotel room and hollered at herself. Enjoy your dinner." She smiled and walked out of the room, leaving him alone again. However, it was not long before Ryo and Lan joined him again. Both of them were staring long and hard at the food.

"Looks good!" Ryo exclaimed at last, diving hungrily on the largest bowl. Calmly, Lan took another and settled himself to eat. Danatoth took the last and they took their meal in silence.

* * *

The frail rays of light that meant dawn were just casting their radiance on the shimmering streets when Kieru awoke. From beneath the heavy oaken door, she could see just how bright, and briefly contemplated going outside. Though she had been here many times, she had never seen what the fiery rays of dawn managed to look like here. She was wearing a plain gray robe and a white shirt beneath that, which didn't feel right after so long of her tunic, but, she reasoned, she was only going just outside.

Pushing the heavy door open, she had to pause for a moment in order to absorb what sight lay before her. The giant gemstones inlaid in the surfaces of the wall and the floor reflected the delicate light and toned it brilliantly. Below, she was sure that she could detect traces of the colored light on the surface of the water.

Unaware that she might be open to assault, she dangled her legs over the precipice and began humming a nostalgic tune to herself. It was in a language she did not know, but she knew the tune and remembered that her aunt had crooned it to them to get her to sleep when they were restless.

She ceased her humming and listened, suddenly feeling the presence of another. It wasn't a familiar carriage, and there was no sound accompanied with the feeling, but she knew someone was there. Her suspicions were confirmed when something connected with her back and she went sailing out over the precipice.

"Marinyx! How many times do we have to tell you before you quit?! Guests aren't accustomed to being tossed about so." The angered female voice belonged to Blackpearl. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted, and the direction of her momentum shifted upward. However, she was lucky that this broke her fall; the surface of the water had split peacefully around her. Now that she was soaked, she felt herself lifted up as if on strings.

When she stood on the floor of her interim home, she was, indeed greeted by the sight of the Lady Blackpearl. The woman's hair looked like richly spun gold, and looked odd resting next to her black core. Beside her stood a childish looking male Jumi.

His hair was the shade of a refined aquamarine; pale cyan. It did not, however, match his core. His core looked like Elazul's, only somehow different. Darker. Duller. The boy's eyes took on the similar dullness, and his flesh was ghostly pale. However, beneath his dull eyes, Kieru could see a flaming spirit and spark of mischief. She trod towards him and prodded his forehead. The force of her finger sent him recoiling back.

Manipulating undine in the minute way she could-her brother was stronger at the element of water-she managed to make the water roll off of her and form into a sphere of sorts. She manipulated it, straining to make it hover above the boy's head before tossing it back towards the lake.

"Fair game. Warn me next time and we'll se who's falling into the lake then." She scowled at the little boy before turning to Blackpearl. "Who is he? He wasn't here when I healed the rest of you." She shook her head. Too many new people.

"You're the one who brought them back?" The boy sounded taken aback. No question as to which them he thought of.

"Yes, but don't shout it or they'll all want one." She said, crossly.

"Much apologies, ma-'" He started, easing his knees into a steep bow.

She snatched his hair and hauled him upright. "Nyet. None of that." She was suddenly grinning. "Ah, morning, Reia. Have you met the little trouble-maker yet?" She beckoned the slightly bleary woman toward them.

Marinyx was in shock. "Wh-wha…?" Kieru knew that the Ronso would speak for herself.

Reia's hand lazily staked out and she lifted the boy by his scruff. "Worth it? Why are people never happy to see grown Ronso out of the mountains?" She shook the boy lightly and placed him back on his feet. She yawned cattishly, exposing her mouthful of sharp teeth. She flexed her fingers, displaying ten powerful daggers there, also.

The boy wobbled and tottered on his feet. He was looking past Kieru, towards the door to the men's room. Obviously, Lan had just emerged. "So, what did he do, Ru?" The blue-furred and taller of the women asked.

"Knock me off the edge." She said, suddenly souring again. She had just watched a familiar blue-haired someone tread down the stairs, toward the eating hall. Where she had been going.

"The food's downstairs." Blackpearl said before striding in that direction.

After a moment of watching, Kieru decided that wearing appropriate attire would be in her best interest. When she left her room again, her hair was tied back in a simple way, most unlike her usual preference. Tied back like this, she could easily measure that it was at least five inches thick. Why did she have so much damn hair?

* * *

When Danatoth saw his sister, he gave it little thought. Pearl was playing the questioning game, the topic being Taayx and Reia. When Kieru spotted him, she blinked and wandered over to sit near Esmeralda and her three sisters. He observed that she would shoot an agitated glance at him and an angry glare at Elazul every few minutes.

"So, umm, how old is Taayx then?" Pearl asked, bringing his attention back to her. Goddess, but she was pretty…Sure, lots of people had blonde hair, but hers looked like strands of sunlight woven onto a spool. Pearls were suspended by intricate design all about her tresses, corresponding with the pallor of her face and moonshade of her eyes.

"Ehh…Ten days. I think. I haven't been counting, to tell the truth." He scratched the back of his head innocently, pausing to crack his knuckles against his skull. He was fascinated with her, but she was fascinated with the topic of discussion. Kieru would be glad to know that her brother's already volatile ego would take a dive for a low.

_New rule; I sleep with Reia. She doesn't kick_

_. "_Taayx, come here. Pearl wants to see you."

_Your beloved? _

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?" Pearl asked, looking at him oddly. "Who're you talking to?"

"Wha-oh, I was talking to Taayx. Did I speak out loud?" He blinked a few times. "Taayx, love, you're growing too fast. When you admired the water last night you reached my waist when I was sitting. Now, it's my shoulder. Why is that?"

_Because I'm growing. I'm going to be as large as your house is. _Taayx crooned at Pearl, offering his head. His plumage was different again; now it was a soft gold. When Pearl stroked him, she sighed and shuddered all at once.

"He's cold but…calm…" She reached out to stroke him again, reaching toward his forehead. She rubbed gently, roughing up his plumage in a ticklish manner. His hide changed in a strange way again, picking up the confusion of the white-hearted Jumi who was so interested in him. The lack of shade was what it really was; he turned pure white. He purred richly, butting her hand whenever she paused.

_She knows where I itch…_ The spoiled creature thought, content spilling through to his impressers. He let loose something like a sigh, falling into a state of over-well-treated bliss.

* * *

I think my average is going to be six pages or so. RnR as always.

Thanks for the Compliments, Feral. I loves jhoo!

From Final Fantasy VIII, I just read a Queifer. If you can't guess, that's Quistis/Seifer. Don't ask if you don't know. It's like a CT LuMa, an Arikku from FFX, and any other odd pairing from most games.


	4. Stampede!

Sorry, but this is a bit late because I've been cramming for Regionals in Band. Also, I'm failing math right now because I didn't understand some of the questions on a test. Anyway, this chapter is going to feature some odd visions from out Hero and Heroine's infanthood. Basically, little flashbacks that occur because of certain little things.

Also, let us just say that that freaky bracer thingie Elazul wears can be reomvoed. M'kay?

* * *

The grandeur of the Bejeweled City was always lost at sunset, or, at least, until moonrise. Moonrise always made the city look eerily beautiful, but tonight even that was not so. Heavy, depressing clouds hung in the sky, allowing for only the slightest illumination to penetrate. Lamps were lit everywhere, but the open corridors were still dense with humidity.

Through this miasma, Kieru walked. She had no destination in mind, as long as it was devoid of Elazul or Reia or anyone she was otherwise known to in the city. She had dodged both in question twice that night already. However, she found that by descending down to the lowest tier on the city allowed for her privacy.

The lowest tier was the most amusing to wander; the only rooms down here were derelict, and the lamps were often few and far between. She could see where she walked over her own path in the muffling, thick dust that carpeted this level. It was as depressing as it was needed to be, and only Kieru had taken any interest in it at all.

She had just departed a short hallway that cut through the center of the middle of the city when something out on the land caught her eye. A storm of dust could be seen, rising and settling in the wake of something. She made short work of finding one of the many of Sappho's gates and ascending rapidly, hailing her brother as she went.

The act of hailing him was actually rather simple. They had been born with a slight telepathic bond, and could express basic thoughts though it. They had practiced hard for a few years, but were now accustomed to it. She 'reached' in her mind for a vague little bundle of thought that she knew to be Danatoth's. She 'grasped' it, her mental fingers describing to him something to the land side of the grand city.

After a moment, there was a grasp that signified compliance to the un-'spoken' request to look that way as well. After a moment, someone cried out above. It had to be Danatoth; the sound had been derived from the war cry of a fictional army that their aunt had told them stories of many times. She heard him clatter up stairs, and knew that he was going to go tell Blackpearl and Rubens. Kieru clattered up to the top tier, and waited for her brother and the two stronger fighters to join them.

"I saw them down on the bottom level." Kieru added after her brother explained the phenomenon At that moment, Marinyx, Elazul, and an unfamiliar male Jumi trotted up the stairs, the stranger swearing vilely . After a moment, Esmeralda joined the motley group, bearing a rather dangerous looking halberd, similar to Kieru's.

"Damn!" The stranger swore, summoning a gigantic claymore from condensed darkness. He was dark-skinned, with a proud, angular jaw, which seemed to fit his proud, humorous personality. Kieru derived this from the way that he carried himself, and the gleam in his black eyes. He was one of the largest men, human or non, that she had ever seen; he could, very possibly, match Lan, minus his horn, of course. His gigantic shoulders and thick, muscular arms flexed as her described an immediate attack with the gigantic sword. His plain black tunic was tight enough to display that there was no extra weight to him; he was solid muscle. It also covered his core.

"What, Olex?" Rubens asked, drawing his own rapier from some place about him. Elazul's sword appeared in his hand, and Marinyx summoned a bow in a similar way.

"That, Rubens, is the largest hoard of monsters I've ever had the displeasure to see. We need to protect the Guardians and Acolytes; we should move them up here." After a moment, he looked over his shoulder at Esmeralda. "And you'd better not get hurt. You're supposed to stay back, but, knowing you, you won't anyway. And," He turned to Kieru, an odd look sparking in his eyes. "You'd better watch out for yourself."

"Oh, and, you think that I'll loose myself on the battlefield? I'd watch it, were I you; try guessing just who I am to even have entry to the city!" The butt of her halberd came down on the ground as she slammed it down to test the hardness of the aged wood. It didn't even shudder for very long before falling still and quiet.

"Good question. Who are you?" He sounded oddly humored, as if he found her funny. But, then again, she thought she was being silly, too.

Esmeralda decided that she'd answer for her friend and mentor. "She's the one who revived one thousand of our people." Kieru nodded at Esmeralda and smiled behind the large man's back. "And, I'll go and sound the alarms now." She finished, tossing Kieru her halberd and rushing down the steps. A minute later, a deep, resonating gong began to thrum richly, and then another. The peals were forceful and loud, and Kieru could swear that the cobblestones were shaking.

A moment later, a hustle of confused people were amassed on the second highest tier of the city. "Alright." Rubens started, borrowing Kieru's spear and clacking it onto the ground in order to make himself heard. "Guardians, Acolytes, please enter the Clarus's chambers; we are in imminent danger." After a moment of milling, a slow line began filing into the large chamber.

"Knights, please join me on the upper ledge." And, after a moment, Kieru was interested to note that there was well over three hundred people standing around her. Apparently, their race had been growing quickly. "Now, as you just heard, there is a stampede of creatures heading straight for Etansel. What we must do is post bowmen on the gate and keep everyone else spread out in front of the city. If you can, corner then against the water."

After a few minutes of answering the few inquiries the defending force had, they journeyed to the bottom and possibly imminent doom. The bowmen, commanded by Marinyx and one of Esmeralda's sisters, were well protected but the high walls, but everyone else was out in the open.

Olex, Elazul, Kieru, Danatoth, and Esmeralda formed into a loose group, keeping one another in sight the whole time. On the horizon, the cloud rose and convulsed, shrouding the already shrouded moon. It wasn't dark near the ground, though; all of the lamps on the city had been lit, and the reflected glow was bright enough.

For some reason, Kieru could swear that she was being watched. She twitched her head and realized that Olex was eyeing her figure. _He's not too bad looking himself…_She though, before grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking it stiffly. _No! Save it for the one you've liked for a couple of years!_

_Yes, but why did I like him? _She asked herself, her eyes twitching over to the blue haired man. What was interesting was that it _was_ blue, not stained but naturally so. His eyes were nearly the same color, but tinted with green. He had surprisingly smooth features, rougher than those of her brother but not dissimilar. He wore a dark blue tunic, but the characteristic teal sun cloth was absent. On his right arm, a protective brace encased from shoulder to fingers. It was there to make up with his somewhat atrophied fingers in that hand, as well as some other reason that was vague and unknown to the woman who had revived him.

_Because_. Her mental voice chided as she quickly turned back to the ever-growing cloud of dust. _He looked at you for many things for a long time. _She knew what was coming; it was an odd mental habit of hers. She would think about something before the battle started, and, if it were possible, begin reminiscing on related subjects. The battles of the past would be articulated again and Kieru would repeat things to her advantage and disadvantage.

By the time the hoard was in bow range, the air around the acre or two covered with the distributed forces of the ancient city was thick and palpably tense. The first hail of arrows set the battle in motion. The first rank of mismatched creatures went tumbling to the ground, though those fallen were soon passed by without thought. The defenders were making quick work, though the hoard still had a chance by sheer force of numbers.

Kieru was twice as efficient as Olex, her halberd cleaving heads and biting into throats with deadly accuracy. Olex sought only to kill, by any means, where the woman sought to be efficient. Elazul and Danatoth were no less efficient, their backs to each other. They wouldn't stray from one another's rear guard; it was a deadly tactic. Eventually, they brought Lan and Ryo into the group; the larger male fought with an elegant flail, though Ryo used a thick-hafted spear to do his dirty work.

Kieru was so wrapped up in the battle, her clothes so bloodstained, that she did not know whose blood stained her. She had been hit quite a few times, but the euphoria of adrenaline and an odd vision kept her up and killing.

_Smoke rose heavenward, tainting the crimson dawn gray with its presence. Bodies were strewn about the ground of the small village. It angered her to see small children numbering the highest in casualties. She dove at an assailant as he dove at her, coppery hair streaming behind her as she plunged a knife between his ribs hard enough that her fist cracked his ribs. _

_She knew that the thieves target was the mansion in the center of the village, and that was where she was going. She knew what these evil people wanted, and she wasn't going to let them have it. _

_As she drew near, the lustful cries of multiple infants spurred her on. The mansion's west wing was in flames, but the east wing was what housed the village's nursery. When the woman reached the source of the cries, the building had begun collapsing on itself. A blonde man was shielding the pair of infants as they wailed with confusion and despair. _

_Quickly joining her husband, for that was who he was, the woman assessed her screaming babes. She glanced up after assuring herself that they were alright and into a mirror. She could see her husband's sculpted features, his soft green eyes gleaming with love for his children and the woman near him; she could see her own, vivid blue eyes filled with adrenaline masked terror…_

Kieru realized that she was kneeling near Elazul, who had been cut unexpectedly across his chest. It was laid open grotesquely, though she did not realize that she was in the act of bandaging it until her shaking hands nearly dropped the wad of gauze. After a moment, she assessed her messy work and decided it would do.

She looked up, startled to see that there was a defined lessening of the ranks of beasts nearby. She also realized that the gate had been opened enough for one or two people at a time. None of the beasts were small enough to fit.

Arranging Elazul across her back like a large bag, she was dimly aware that she was in the act of carrying him up the first tier, onto the second, where people were being tended. Right away, an unfamiliar Jumi who appeared to have an opal core assisted her in relieving herself of Elazul's unexpected weight. She was so tired...

_The man was hastily rigging a sling to carry the two infants. His wife was struggling to stay conscious, but her minutes were slowly dimming. Her hands weakly went out and gingerly touched the obsidian knife embedded in her ribcage. How ironic that it was the same knife with which she had slain that man in the street._

_Her vision was slowly fading. She struggled to stay awake, struggled to breathe. She was dying; life was seeping from her body. At last, the end was hovering. She realized that the two infants were staring at her. The girl-child had pretty green eyes, like her father. The boy was still sniffling, but the crying had stopped, and his infantile ice-blue eyes, so much like her own, already understood. He knew that he would never see his mother again. The girl did, too. It saddened her that her children had to suffer so much at such a young age._

_At least their father wasn't badly enough injured that he couldn't get them to their aunt. She was sure that he would join her in the deathly dark of eternal sleep after that; it had been one wedding vow he had made on his own honor; there was no way to spare him. At least her children were safe…_

"Mother!" Kieru gasped, eyes forcing themselves open. The dream had been so vivid…she had _been_ that woman who she was sure was her mother. She was laid out on a cot with a blanket strewn over her prone form. She slowly sat up and took her bearings. She was in one of the rooms on the bottom tier.

She heard someone murmur softly and realized that she was not alone in the room. Elazul's mouth twitched and he shifted in his cot, entranced by some dream. In the warm glow that penetrated through the doorway, Kieru could see that obviously he had been healed. She had been, as well, but by who was what she didn't know.

She was contemplating getting up, when the opal Jumi entered the room. "Ah, mistress Nivare, I trust that you are better?" The girl was pretty, with a smooth pale face and lovely rose eyes. Her hair was the color of peach steam; it made the young Jumi look old beyond her years.

"I am better. I have two questions: One, how long have I been out, and two, who healed us?" She had tens of more questions to ask, all of which buzzed infuriatingly in the back of her skull, but she ignored it. She was wearing a plain white gown, and she was really curious as to what had happened to her tunic.

"Well, you've been out for a day and a half; all of yesterday and some of today. I'm the one who healed you." The last was said with triumphant pride. "Flourina says that I will probably be her predecessor when she's trained me." She paused to regard Kieru with an odd look. "You've made yourself quite a figure. Everyone who was in the relief team is buzzing about how you carried Elazul back into the city."

Kieru thought about it. "What's remarkable about that?" She asked at last, watching as Olex passed by outside, pausing to wave jovially at her. After a moment, Marinyx and Danatoth passed by as well, her brother giving her a look of praise and from the little archer there was reverence. Occasionally, people would pass by, though most paused to stare admiringly at her for a moment in passing.

"When Elazul is wearing his bracer, it adds quite a bit to his weight. He's also more heavily muscled than you; he's heavier than he looks. Add that to the fact that if you'd stayed out much longer you'd be in shock from loss of blood, and it is rather appreciated with what you could do in that state." She paused to signal a small child as she stopped to gape at the Mana Heroine. "Would you like to help me?"

"Yes!" The little girl said her voice somewhat low for such a small little thing as her. She was solemn faced, with large gray eyes and a short amount of black curls. She wore a little brown tunic and no shoes, and her small, smoky core glinted in the light from outside.

"Could you tell the cooks to warm some of the morning meal up? I'm sure Miss Nivare is hungry." The little girl nodded and trotted off, not in a particular hurry, but still reasonably quickly. The opal Jumi turned to face Kieru after the child left. "What we found odder was that you were saying something about dead children. You would flail occasionally, and you were constantly murmuring about your beloved and children. Then, you went stiff, and you haven't moved since."

"I need to speak to Danatoth. Could you please get him to come here?" She sounded confused, and, suddenly, the sight returned. It was horrifying; she remembered vividly, the screams, the cries, the death, it all was there. And then, seeing herself and Danatoth as infants, being carried away from the carnage by their father. It was too much. She sagged and lay back on the cot.

The opal Jumi nodded understanding and departed in search of the male Nivare. Now that the conscious Jumi had left, the unconscious one held her attention. However, he was not foremost right then.

_Our mother…_She thought, crackling her knuckles idly. _I know what happened to her, but not father. I wonder what our parents were like…_She realized that there were tears at the corners of her eyes, but made no effort to stop them. The parents they had never known; she had seen the end of their lives, but no more.

Elazul moved again in his sleep, and her attention retuned to him. _He looks so helpless…_She had seen him look so only one time before; when Sandra had damaged his core. She realized that she cried partly for him. It felt good to cry; she had done it so rarely that she nearly didn't know what it felt like. Her tears had just begun to stem when Reia, Danatoth, and Taayx all entered the room.

"What's wrong, Ru?" Her brother asked, going to her side and placing his hand on her shoulder. She seemed more distressed than he had ever seen her; even when Elazul had been damaged so badly the first time she hadn't cried openly.

"I saw father…" She began, bleakly, idly musing the bejeweled ceiling.

"And I saw mother. And us. It was awful; mother died."

"And it was so vivid that Taayx and I nearly screamed out heads off when we saw it from the third person." Reia said, sitting on the edge of Kieru's cot. "It was awful…"

"I know mother died, Toth. I _was _mother, so to speak. By the time she closed her eyes for the last time, I was already unconscious and here." She realized that he had obviously lived the dream from their father's perspective, but it had been the same dream.

They discussed it for a few more minutes before the trio of better-off people departed, leaving her alone once more with Elazul. However, her solitude was broken after a few minutes by the little girl. She had a companion, a gangly boy who could have been in his teens. He was very thin to match his stature, and, with his unusual, vivid gold eyes and dark brown hair, it was nearly impossible to imagine him with such a vibrant core as his. He was obviously the Jumi of Citrine, and the girl was either flint or obsidian; they might not be precious to most, but she had once met a tribe that had considered both flint and obsidian to be worth their weight in gold.

The boy was holding a generous portion of stew in a large stone bowl. "Kieru Nivare?" He inquired, surprising her with the lack of formality. However, he was still respecting her higher 'status', and the little girl behind him didn't make a sound.

"Yes please." She said, pleased to hear the shaking go out of her voice. "What are your names? You're some of the new generation, correct?"

The boy nodded as he handed her the slightly steaming bowl of rich stew. "I am Seadran, and this little fiend is Sirea." She giggled at his use of the title, and hopped happily in order to see Elazul from her position in the doorway. She saw his face and giggled again.

"How long have you been awake, 'Zul?" She asked, trundling over to his cot and standing on tiptoes to look into his closed eyes. Or _were_ they closed?

One of them twitched open lazily, startling Kieru. "How could you tell?" He asked, agitated somewhat by the intuitive child.

"I could see the slit between your eyelids." She said, giggling as he opened his other eye and sat up.

"Damn…" He murmured moments later, his hand clutching at the side of his head. "Did I get drunk last night Kieru?"

"No. You were unconscious last night, and all of yesterday. You got clubbed by a gigantic land dragon during the skirmish, remember?" She said, sitting up again herself. Both yawned widely, nearly in unison, and stretched in a similar manner.

"Yeah, and Miss Kieru carried you all the way back into the city!" Sirea piped up, giggling nearly insanely at the two adults who were so thwarted by her childish games.

"Yeah, she totally redefined adrenaline. She was close enough to half-dead when she performed this act. And she was delusional and killing like an army of demons." Seadran said, stacking praise atop praise. She blushed as Elazul shot her a slightly skeptical look.

"I had a rather personal image that involved a lot of killing. Part of it was tending to a fallen comrade." She lied, cracking her neck with a grimace. It was partially a lie; the scene had been full of death, but there had been nothing about tending a comrade. She had had an impulse from her sub-conscious mind. And all because it had been Elazul receiving the attention.

"Indeed." He muttered dryly before falling silent. His eyes slid closed, but he was obviously awake.

When Kieru finished her stew (all of it, despite the large helping) she leaned back and unobtrusively studied her once-more only companion. Mixed emotions ran through her head, mixing her thoughts up with one another until they all ran in one thick stream. She felt drained over nothing.

During her intense study, Kieru failed to notice the slits of dark blue studying _her_.

* * *

Well, sorry it took so long to update. I had a little school trouble and I nearly failed arithmetic. Ni. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, To those of you who reviewed, thanks for your coments.


	5. Atempts On One's Life

I'm sorry it took me so long to get back! I was working on my novel. Okay, and the little muse-voices shut themselves up about _Letters _and I was highly reluctant to touch a computer for a while and I broke all the bones in my foot. See? Perfectly logical explanation(s).

Next chapter will contain a disclaimer. Why? Because it'll be chapter 6. ;)

* * *

After a few days, Kieru felt that she could be up and about. Not that she had minded being stuck in a room with Elazul all that much, but the lack of scenic variation was driving her mad slowly but surely. Danatoth was now in the act of watching his sister sway her way unsteadily along the pathways of the lower tiers, making sure she didn't go tumbling down into a heap like she'd done twice already.

She went on, flexing and stretching muscles that were feeling atrophied after those six days she'd been bedridden. Her hands were still feeling weak, a result of jarring herself up before she could eat or be properly allowed to regain consciousness. What she did now she did on a subconscious level. It was almost able to be compared to sleep-walking.

As Danatoth watched she stumbled again. She staggered back to her feet and continued until; at length, two curious youths joined her brother in watching her on the ledge. Sirea and Seadran never seemed to go anywhere without one another and today was no exception. The tall boy had his hand resting protectively on the top of her head.

"She's modest and insane." The warrior murmured to himself, watching as she settled against a wall and ceased moving. Once assured that she had finally given up and was resting herself, he turned his attention to the duo who was regarding her with mild interest. The boy, too, was muttering under his breath.

"I take it you didn't just come for a chat." He said, and the little girl giggled. She had taken to giving Danatoth and Kieru something akin to hero worship, but she still knew he was as…human…as the rest of them and had his own problems to contend with. Certainly, she shot a worried glance at the woman before resuming her cheery exterior.

"We were sent for you by the Ronso. They're starting to get impatient; they want you to leave so you can reach the holy mountain." Seadran explained with a far more mature tone to his voice. He, unlike the little girl who followed him around, was calm and simply respected the Nivare as elders and superiors. At the moment he held respect for the Ronso too, which made him fit better around them, since most Jumi had some sort of fear for the inhuman race.

"Tell them we need to wait until Kieru's better." Danatoth said, glancing down at his sister. Once more she was on her feet, staggering doggedly around in search of something or another. Or, so it seemed. The one thing was that she never went far from the entrance to the room where she'd been stuck for so long already. She probably knew that she was directly defying the healer's orders, and it made her uncomfortable.

"They said that you would say that." Sirea pipped up, though Seadran silenced her with a look.

"They said that Lan would be glad to carry her for a while." He said, locking eyes with the superior. "They were almost insistant."

"Tell them that I will ask Kieru and we will go on what she says." This, he knew fully well, would be that she wanted to stay for another few days at the very least. He knew his sister very well, and since she had a great love of the Jumi and their city, she never left willingly from Etansel.

"Very well." The boy said with good grace and left, his 'shadow' following close on his heels. Danatoth shook his head and started towards his sister, resolute that he'd go with whatever choice she made. After all, she generally made good choices, right?

_Remember that she went to the underworld without a second thought._ His inner-voice of brotherliness said sharply, reminding him that his sister would do anything for money or a good fight or, generally, anything short of prostitution or related perverse acts. She was generally as sturdy as a rock while he was a sentimental little sap.

He wandered off to see what the day was gonna hurl at him.

* * *

"I'd give you a medal for lack of sanity, but I have the feeling you're only relating a question." The girl said, making it painstakingly clear what she thought of the question her brother had addressed to her after finding her on the lower tier. "No."

Danatoth shook his head, sighing. "I knew that'd be a no." He looked actually a tiny bit smug, though, and he couldn't hide that from miss 'hey-look-my-face-is-made-of-stone-and-ha-ha-you-can't-read-it-but-I-can-read-yours'.No wait. Where had that thought come from? That was just plain silly.

"I'll go with you and threaten to out-drink Ryo if they get pissed off." She said, shortly. He knew why as well as she, though he'd had different experiences with it. Ryo had hangovers that could last a full day, and the most times he'd gotten them of late were trying to out-drink the mana heroine.

Danatoth sighed and then decided _aww, what the hell_, and they started off, towards their rooms. Though the others had been in the for the last few days, Kieru had a little trouble remember where her temporary quarters were. Danatoth had no such lapse of memory, however, and had them at the door soon enough.

They didn't have to know before Lan practically threw it open. "She came to her senses?" He asked, hopeful, looking at the two siblings who he absolutely dwarfed. Kieru, undaunted, shook her head and an exaggerated, sarcastic grin split her face.

The Ronso seemed to deflate. He knew that she'd only do that if she'd said no and he wasn't about to just up and sling this lady over his shoulder for refusing. "How much longer?" He inquired, trying not to reach out and give the female a nice minor concussion.

"Two more days." She said shortly before whirling unsteadily and staggering off to go find food. Danatoth watched her go with a shrug and a confused look. He hated it when she did that, but, then again, she was the adult he'd learned to live with, the one who could out-drink just about anyone. Hell, some day she was going to die of some obscure disease of the liver.

The man wandered off, leaving Lan to grumble to himself however he pleased. Let him know that, though these two were heroes, they were the unique sort who didn't follow the general 'undaunted kindness, bold trust, and chivalry'. Hell, not a single word of that compared to Kieru!

At length, his wanderings found him in a strange place, indeed. She stood at the top of the second-highest flight of stares and gaze up to the top tier. The strange, bulbous room at the top of the city was quiet, a few hushed murmurs managing to penetrate the thick walls. Quiet suddenly there was a lot of yelling from behind the doors, and, curious, he pushed them open a tiny crack.

Inside, the peach-haired girl was standing in front of Flourina. The two women were looking a bit pale and, for a moment he wondered what it had been about. Then, quite suddenly, he didn't need to think because _something_ came crashing into him, sending him flying right over the precipice of the tier and plummeting to the ocean.

He panicked, shouting and calling wildly, the cries torn from his lips the moment he uttered them. So he was going to break his neck on impact and that would be that? No more Danatoth Nivare? It wasn't a pretty thought so he tried to think of the upside.

There wasn't one. If he died Taayx and Reia would go insane. What a pleasant thought. The water was only feet away, rapidly shortening. He had roughly four seconds to live.

_Three seconds:_

He wondered if there was anything he'd forgotten to do that had caused someone trouble and thus given them a good reason to kill him.

_Two seconds:_

He couldn't think of one! Why would anyone not totally evil want to kill him? Was it that he was just so damn famous people didn't like him?

_One second:_

He was about to utter a few words that no one'd heard him utter before. However, just as he felt his arms, which he had outstretched in hopes of breaking the water only breaking them, touched water, a pair of bitter-cold claws snatched onto the back of his vest, jerking him to a stop efficiently.

He looked up to see Taayx, glimmering a pale acrid orange under his plumage. _Dan-mine! You're not supposed to die!_ There was a very determined note in the little beast's voice as he hauled the man whose mind he could see into upwards, his large wings struggling under the weight which was more than the little creature's by far.

People had gathered on the lower tiers and he was struggling to fight off the attentions of his sister, Reia, Pearl, and Flourina all at the same time. People were in a babbling semi-circle, and he was beginning to feel slightly claustrophobic. His sister finally grabbed his arm and hauled him up.

"What the hell happened?" She asked sharply, glaring at her brother irately. Ah, there was her sisterly love, making her all pissed off at him for almost dying. How utterly kind and considerate of her. He shook his head, his own confusion evident as he staggered through the crowd and pushed his way towards the guest quarters, Reia and Taayx hard on his heels. The plumed dragon-creature nuzzled his side, his large eyes burning a doleful, unvoiced question.

"Did you see who it was?" He asked the little beast, his head now swarmed with thoughts of caution. Why had someone tried to kill him?

"_No."_ Reia and Taayx intoned in unison; looking curiously at him .There appeared to be no marks on him, except the sort of look on his face that cried of bruised egos and certain parts of his anatomy. He was sure whatever had hit him had hit him square in the rear! It mystified him.

"Uhh…I saw…" A timid voice piped up behind him, causing the man to twist wildly on the spot and glare down at Sirea. "It was a really strange creature! It looked like a wooding, 'cept we know we don't have wooding up here in the city! It was tall and willowy and after kicking you off it faded into the air!" This said she blinked several times and looked at the mana hero, curious.

"And every word of that is true?" He asked quietly, clearly confused.

"Yessir!" She said brightly.

Seadran appeared in view and began to babble something in an incomprehensible foreign language to the little girl. She grinned widely and said something in return, and he mumbled something in the back of his throat before turning to regard Danatoth brightly.

"What was that about?" He asked the boy, trying to decide where that language was from and, even more curiously, what language it actually was.

"Oh, it's nothing!" He said brightly. After a moment, he shook his head and added, sheepishly, "it's nothing important. We're from a different region. It's got a language of its own and we're used to it." Indeed, it seemed to be the case for Sirea beamed and added a few phrases of the language. They didn't even seem familiar in any way to those which he was accustomed to.

Shaking his head, Danatoth stalked off to think.

* * *

Kieru was indeed, quite ready to leave after two days. She had recovered adequately, and had even engaged in a good-spirited drinking contest with Ryo, which she had won with ease. She'd been quite glad to have her alcohol, despite the fact that some of it was quite expensive and all of it came at the expense of Etansel. Still, she'd been a lot more agreeable the next morning, though a touch subdued.

She and Danatoth made their obligatory good byes and then they started off, weighed down by generous ration packs provided by the formerly-impoverished people. Esmeralda had given each of them a flying tackle sort of hug, her chattering quite cheerfully and making them promise that they'd visit on their way home after destroying the seedlings.

And now they were on the march. Taayx was wandering between his two mind-chosens and Kieru, obviously curious about the lady. Danatoth, in a rare show of skill, had figured out a away to lend his voice to the beast and now he was quite eager and full of questions for the lot of them.

"Why do you drink so much? It worries Danatoth!" This, coming from her brother's mouth, made her a bit annoyed, since it felt more like Danatoth was talking from the third person and she hated it when people did that. Heaven forbid, she remembered one incident when she'd been younger that she'd been so drunk she'd spoken like that, but Danatoth didn't drink, not enough to do that.

"I drink however I please, damn it." She said sourly, ignoring the seconds half the statement entirely. She knew that her ability and love of consuming alcohol was something that scared her brother, who knew that her liver wouldn't last forever. At times it seemed she was going to drink herself to death, even to her, but she didn't give a damn.

The next few questions pertained to too many things to number and quickly grew out of hand until Danatoth closed off the link and regained control of his mouth. "S'got good intention, Ru. Why'd you have to snap at him?" It was certainly the sort of thing he seemed likely to ask. Damn, her brother was going soft.

"Because I have my reasons for drinking, not all of which would pass by you without unsettling you, so you don't need to know them." She said, very softly and acidly, and thus was the topic dropped and forgotten as the group fell into an uncomfortable silence.

That evening they set up camp, not minding to use tents, settling for blankets under the open sky since it seemed that the night would be clear. Indeed, as Ryo brooded over first watch, the sky was a blanket of dusky stars and there were no clouds.

However, as Lan took over watch, a slight humidity crept into the air and constricted his throat some. He could see no clouds, but there was something steamy brewing, maybe a fog. He didn't know, nor particularly care as he tended the fire and made sure none of the grotesque, strange creatures were going to attack.

Danatoth took last watch, around the same time the ominous, coal-black thunderheads made their appearance on the horizon. This perturbed him a little. They weren't prone to rain in this region, and yet, there was a second major storm in the last two weeks brewing. It didn't make any sense to him, and he pondered it until they departed in the morning.

Their progress was fairly swift, and by midday, though the skies were dark like dusk, they could see the white-capped mountains looming on the horizon, though they were still quite a way off. One stood out from the rest in that it reached high into the clouds, the very top indistinguishable in the mists that enwrapped it.

The midday meal was taken under a silence more gloomy than uneasy. The Ronso we beginning to act strange; Reia was starting to seem tense, and the two males were beginning to seem very uneasy. Though she wasn't sure why, Kieru was fairly sure that Taayx had a lot to do with their moods. Probably the fact that a human had one wasn't going to help them too much.

After a while, the human female began to hum out an old and obnoxious tune, quite a feat for her. Her gravely voice wasn't entirely due to effort, and seeing as the main melody of the voice she picked out was carried on a flute, she sounded like she was ill, gargling for a moment, before she went back, started over and tried again.

The second time, she scared those around her, since it was strong and melodic and perfect. Danatoth looked at her, slightly bewildered, Reia was curious, Lan dubious, and Ryo just a bit freaked out. Ladies who fought with halberds and out-drank Ronso men did not hum such things, but at least it broke the silence. After a moment, when she hit a repetitive bit, the whole group was startled to hear Taayx join her.

After a while, Danatoth recognized the tune and couldn't help but join in himself. The trio sounded quite odd, but the gloominess left and the tension of the pseudo-Jumi slacked some. They couldn't stay tense when the usually quite woman broke into light song, despite the softness and foreignness of the words. To her the meanings were as unknown as it was to they, but her singing wasn't something they'd hear much and Danatoth reveled in it, recognizing it as the tune their aunt had crooned to them.

The humming healed their spirits and even increased their pace. They were at a light, comfortable trot, the lion-like people leading the humans by a few feet, as their legs are meant for covering ground quickly. However, Kieru and Taayx weren't far behind, with Danatoth bringing up the rear, but also watching that end of them. He was taken completely unaware when a lanky wooding-like being appeared.

Now that he had a good look at it, he realized that Sirea had been fairly accurate. It had the build of a slender human, with some feminine proportions to its structure, though there was nothing defined. It had wild-looking, bark-gray eyes and a wild, tousled mane of moss-mottled golden-green hair. No clothes adorned the figure, save a close interweaving of vines around where there would have been bindings and a breechclout. It's whole body seemed armored in thick treebark.

Screaming a war cry, he dove at the creature, drawing his sword and continuing the motion until the creature was suitably sliced across the stomach. Regardless of the wound, it swung a heavy limb and caught him across the cheek, throwing his head so painfully that stars exploded in his vision and he could swear his head rotated fully. He shouted again, catching the attention of the others.

Kieru was about to enter the fray when Taayx, in a sudden burst of needing to do something, blew a large cloud of something at the beast. It smelled like corroded metal, like old dried blood, and, most disturbingly, like a touch of something sickly-sweet. The cloud came into contact with the thing's skin and the beast wailed in agony as bark-skin was dissolved into a sickly semi-liquid that fell away and left big, green-bleeding strips.

Kieru landed a hefty blow with her spear, slicing from its temple, across its cheek, and down the neck and chest to around six inches from the navel. The creature wailed in agony this time, flailing blindly and managing to land several blows on Kieru's hands. She nearly dropped her halberd when one particularly nasty blow knocked across her knuckles and wrists.

At length, they subdued the creature, though they didn't kill it. It seemed sentient, regarding them from behing huge, doleful eyes. At length, it finally spoke.

"Kill me." It said, plaintively. Obviously it wasn't too happy about losing. However, around the same time it demanded an end to its life, Kieru felt an unusual wave of pity sweep over her. That is to say, she didn't behead it on the spot.

"Who sent you, and why are you trying to kill me?" Danatoth asked irately. He was now unusually cross, as if acts to end his life were unusual. They weren't, considering he wasn't liked by so many people, though there was still a majority that grudgingly accepted the fact that this man had it in him to kill the goddess.

The thing growled until Kieru's halberd-butt found its way to the creature's chest and she smacked it down forcefully until it gurgled and gasped out a string of mild curses. And then a strangled word that sounded like a Rattle Boa trying to speak common. "Sarrangaru sent me. Assassination, fifty thousand lucre…" The first word, they reasoned, was a name. But the name of what, they didn't know.

Kieru stopped when it started speaking and then Danatoth backed away as well and watched as the creature staggered to unsteady legs. "Tell this Sarrangaru,"-he had trouble with the name-"that he'd better damned well shove off. Never heard of him in my life. Never done anything to him, either. Now, go and tell him. We don't want to see any of you ever again unless it's dead."

That was quite a vile speech, until Kieru realized that it was Taayx influenced. She wasn't sure she liked the change that the creature was eliciting in her brother. It wasn't like him, and she wanted to be the only one in the group to be pointlessly callous. He had no reason to be, he hadn't survived killing the crimson dragon after becoming dead, hadn't watched Daena, Escad and Irwin die. None of that only killed a goddess. He had no reason to be sour.

The creature gurgled and cursed some more, fading into the air as it did so, leaving the five travelers alone. The Ronso were gaping at the two humans as if they had both sprouted wings and were flying and singing gaily. Obviously, as they learned later, Ronso had no term for assassination, and couldn't fathom why someone would so dishonorably attempt another's life.

They continued the day in silence and managed to make the foot of the mountain but eveningfall. They camped at the foot, ready to face what the next day brought with a steely air.

* * *

Sorry it took me so damned long. .Here are some review responces:

Shadow Neko: Heh, I didn't know either. XD By any chance, are you on neopets? Don't have to answer, just a thought, seeing as I know someone who goes by that nickname on Neo. I will keep writing, but slowly.

Seonaid Mist: Thanks. I will keep writing. ;) You, on the other hand...work on Tears for the One! I wanna read more! More, damn it! XDD

DreamerOfSin: -hides- Uhh...fwee? Ionno whether to be scared or not. XD


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